ITALICS = DOTHRAKI BOLD = DRAGONS SPEAKING.
It would take several weeks for the ship that Ned Stark was on to reach Slaver's Bay. Ned suffered greatly in the Essosi heat, but slowly, he started getting used to it; he had no other choice. And while they sailed, Ned sparred with the men aboard the ship. They taught him a new way of fighting, one that would help him against the different styles in Essos. He mostly practiced with the Unsullied that were traveling with him that Illyrios had provided. Ned wasn't comfortable being around slaves, but there was nothing he could do about it, they were a gift for Queen Rhaesa.
As the ship finally entered Slaver's Bay, Ned heard the roar from up above, he looked up in wonder and in fear as he saw several dragons flying high in the sky. The dragons were making their way back towards the Great Pyramid in the center of Meereen. Ned couldn't believe his eyes; he had heard the rumors about the dragons but Ned like everyone else, though they were only rumors. But seeing them in the flesh was shocking. Ned was starting to have second thoughts about going to the Dragon Queen for help. What if she was like her father and burned him alive with dragon fire? Ned decided that once he disembarked from the ship, he would ask around about the Queen of Meereen.
When the ship was finally permitted the harbormaster to dock, Ned Stark got off the boat and decided to walk the market for a while. He asked the Unsullied to wait for him aboard the ship so that he could have some time to himself. The captain of the Unsullied agreed. Ned began to walk the market and listened and observed the people of the market. They all seemed happy with how things were going in Meereen. There was considerable talk about The Queen that she was a great healer that brought many crucified children back to life. And that she was generous with her people, setting up schools so that they could all receive an education. She would use the former slaves that were tutors to the Master's children to teach the slave children, and she would pay them handsomely for their time. The dragons were a blessing as well, keeping the bay free of pirates and bandits, while the Dothraki and Unsullied kept the peace inside the City.
Ned couldn't believe his ears. He had never seen such prosperity in a city before. Ned also heard that the other towns that Rhaesa and Daenerys had conquered were also doing well. He wondered if Queen Rhaesa would be willing to help Robb and the North against the Lannister. In reality, Ned had nothing to offer Queen Rhaesa. The only thing that Ned could offer her would be the allegiance of the North if she wanted to take back what was rightfully hers.
While Ned was wandering around the city, one of the Red Priests had seen him and had gone to the Great Pyramid to report to the queen that a Northman had arrived in their city. Rhaesa and Rhee were holding court when the Red Priest arrived. "My Queen, I am Vaevon Nartalor, a Red Priest for Lord Of Light."
"Welcome Vaevon, what can I do for you?"
"My Queen, we have discovered that a Northman from Westeros has arrived in the Bay of Dragons. He has been asking questions about your reign and is walking around gathering information."
"Who do suppose he is, Ser Jorah," Rhaesa asked.
"There have been rumors that Ned Stark had escaped from the Red Keep after being accused of treason. He's the only one I can think of that would be coming here," Jorah said.
Rhaesa looked at her brother and husband, who was sitting next to her. She looked at Rhee, "What should we do?"
"Bring him here and find out what his intentions are for being in Meereen," Rhee said.
Rhaesa nodded then looked at her husband, who nodded also. "Greyworm gūrogon aōha vali se maghagon se vala kesīr." (Greyworm, take your men and bring the man here.)
Greyworm bowed and left the throne room. Daenerys looked at her sister, "What do you suppose he wants, sister?"
"I don't Dany, but he's traveled a long way, the least we can do is see what he wants," Rhaesa said.
*If he has come to threaten you, I will kill him where he stands,* Drogo tells his wife.
Rhaesa smiled at her husband and kissed his cheek, *I don't think he'd be foolish enough to try, but one never knows, thank you my Warrior Love.*
It didn't take long for Greyworm and his men to find Ned Stark, he stood out like a sore thumb even though he was dressed in leather armor. Missandei had gone with the Unsullied so that she could translate for Greyworm. Ned was still walking around the market when Unsullied soldiers suddenly surrounded him. The Unsullied closed ranks around him locking their shield and brought their spears up and pointed them at Ned. He was about to draw Ice, but Ned realized that it was a futile attempt, and he did want to seem hostile.
The Unsullied parted, and Missandei stepped forward, "Welcome to Meereen. Lord Stark. I am Missandei, one of the queen's advisors and her interpreter. The Queen has asked that I bring you; the Great Pyramid."
Ned looked at Missandei surprised, he had no idea how they knew who Ned was or that he was in Meereen, but he wasn't going to complain. Ned needed to see the queen and ask for her help, and if this was his way of seeing her, then so be it.
"Alright, Missandei, lead the way," Ned said.
Missandei turned and took her place next to Ned while the Unsullied took their position in front and behind her and Ned. They began to make their way towards the Great Pyramid. As they walked, Missandei answered any question that Ned had about the Dragon Queen. The more Ned learned about Rhaesa, the more he realized she was nothing like the Mad King.
When they arrived in the throne room, Missandei walked up the steps to stand next to her queen. Ned immediately noticed that the guards were a mixture of Dothraki and Unsullied. He gasped when his eyes landed on Rhaesa. Rhaesa was the most beautiful woman that Ned had ever seen. She had the typical white blonde hair as any Targaryen, but Rhaesa had the most vivid violet eyes he had ever seen. Her lips were plump and red; she had long eyes lashes and a slight tan. But sitting on her throne, she looked every part of being a queen. Ned swallowed thickly and bowed.
Rhaesa stared at Ned for a few moments trying to decide if she should listen to what he had to say or feed him to the dragons. She looked at her brother and asked him in High Valyrian his opinion as to what to do with Eddard Stark. Rhee told her that they should hear him out.
Rhaesa sighed, "You may rise, Lord Stark."
Ned straightened up and looked at Rhaesa, "What brings you to Meereen, Lord Stark?"
Ned took a deep breath, "Queen Rhaesa, I came to Meereen to ask you to help my son in his war against the Lannisters."
"And why should I help you? You who helped the Usurper overthrow my family and murdered my good sister and her children."
"I never approved of what Robert did to Princess Elia and her children that has always been a source of tension between him and me. And I did not fight to put Robert Baratheon on the throne; I fought to get my sister, Lyanna back, and to avenge the death of my father and brother. In the end, I was wrong; Prince Rhaegar did not kidnap my sister. Lyanna had gone willingly with him. And I ended up losing my sister anyway."
"I'll ask again, why should I help you? What would I gain by helping your son?"
"I offer an alliance with the North when you decide to take back the Iron Throne."
"Why would we need an alliance with the North, Lord Stark? Not only do we have more than forty thousand Dothraki, we the Unsullied, the Faceless Men, and six dragons. What could the North possibly offer us," Dany asked.
"Besides, there is no guarantee that after you receive our help, you won't betray us like you did our family," Rhaesa said.
"If I may speak freely, Your Grace, you are a foreign Queen that does not know the customs of Westeros. Do you think the People will look kindly upon you if you conquer them with fire and blood?"
"You seem to be mistaken, Lord Stark, I was born in Westeros. I lived in the Red Keep. I was well known in King's Landing," Rhaesa said.
"But you were also a child, Your Grace. People change, and the smallfolk forget."
Drogo, who had been listening intently, leaned over to Rhaesa, *What would he give us in reality because his loyalty is very little, what is there from stopping my bloodriders from killing him at this moment and feeding him to our dragons?*
Ned looked at the large Dothraki sitting next to the queen curiously. He didn't understand a word that he said, but Ned was positive that his life was being threatened.
"He is telling me that the people who were faithful to my family which during that time, despite my father's follies, the town was very prosperous, unlike when his friend took power where people starve while he and his family lived in abundance and opulence thanks to the excessive amount of gold that belonged to my family which spent on wine and prostitutes in addition to the loans given by the Lannister and Tyrell families in addition to their great debt with the iron bank believes that people won't get up when they know my family was compared to the golden age of the kingdom compared to now where the crown is bankrupt. Besides, the child that sits on the Iron Throne is not even that fat drunk's. The children are the product of incest between the Queen and her brother."
"Tell me Lord Stark, which side do you think the people will be on knowing that the rightful kings are going to recover what is rightfully theirs? from the hand of usurpers who all they do is waste money while they starve in the filth to which your friend condemned them."
At this point, Rhee stepped in, "Lord Stark has a point though, My Queen, we cannot conquer Westeros using fear as a way of controlling the people. They must know that you and your sister are different from your father. And that you bring them change and prosperity. We must have alliances with the other houses if we do not want this to be another Field of Fire."
Rhaesa looked at Rhee, she remembered her history very well, when Aegon the Conqueror and his sister wifes wiped out the army of the Reach. In all honesty, the only House she wanted extinct was House Lannister for what they had done to Elia and her children. Rhaesa wanted Tywin Lannister to know what it meant to suffer the loss of his children.
Ned thought for a moment, "Right now I can offer you the North, The Riverlands, and The Vale. My wife's sister is Lady of the Vale."
Rhaesa raised an eyebrow, "Are you sure, Lord Stark?"
"Aye."
"I'm not convinced."
Ned slumped in defeat, until Dany spoke up, "Sister, perhaps a marriage alliance would help."
Ned's head snapped up, "Aye, my heir could marry Princess Daenerys."
"No," Rhaesa said, "I will not use my sister as a bargaining chip."
Dany put her hand on Rhaesa's shoulder, "It's alright, Sister. I am the one offering; you are not obligating me to do this."
Rhaesa took Dany by the hand, "Are you sure, Sister?"
"Yes, I am."
Rhaesa sighed and looked at Rhee, "What do you think?"
"That will surely guarantee the support of the North, the Riverlands, and the Vale through his mother and aunt."
"Alright, then we shall do it like that, I suggest you send a raven to your son Lord Stark and tell him of the deal you have struck. Let us hope that he honors this agreement and does not shame my sister."
Rhaesa looked at Doreah and told her to show Lord Stark to one of the rooms so that he may freshen up. Doreah bowed and led Ned out of the throne room. Rhaesa then got up and made her way outside to see the dragons. Upon seeing their mother, the dragons started to screech and purr, Rhaesa hugged her sons. Afterwards, she gave Balerion and Vhagar an assignment.
"I want you two to fly to Westeros and keep an eye on Robb Stark's army. Use your judgment on whether or not you should interfere with the battles, but try to be discreet."
**Yes, Mother.** Balerion said.
**Of course Aunt.**
With that the two dragons took to the sky and made their way to Westeros, flying high into the clouds so that no one would see them.